Beyond the Pale by Emily Urquhart

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A powerful memoir of a mother's physical, mental and emotional journey to understand her daughter's genetic condition, albinism.

Emily’s story begins on St. Stephen’s Day, 2010, in St. John’s, Newfoundland when she gives birth to a baby girl named Sadie Jane with a shock of snow-white hair. Within 3 months Sadie is diagnosed with albinism, a rare genetic disorder where pigment fails to form in the skin, hair and eyes, with accompanying maladies such as photophobia and partial blindness.

Emily is drawn to understanding her child's differences by researching the cultural beliefs associated with albinism worldwide; a journey that takes her to a faraway continent, through her own family tree, and all the while unearthing discoveries that vacillate between beauty, amazement and horror.

‘Beyond the Paleis a powerful story about maternal love, the long reach of family and the ways -- good and evil – we react to disability.’ -Katherine Ashenburg, author ofThe Dirt on Clean: An Unsanitized History

‘Beyond the Paleis a brave, thoughtful, clear, and always graceful journey through the terrifying randomness of genetics and the unexpected ways genetic anomalies can mark not just children,but all the lives around them. Best of all, it ends with a surprise—one that will interest anyone thinking of having a family.’ -Ian Brown, author ofThe Boy in the Moon: A father’s search for his disabled son